maþa

From Proto-Germanic*maþô, from Indo-European *math-, *moth- used for insects and vermin. Cognate with Old Saxon maðo (Dutch made ‘maggot, worm’), Old High German mado (German Made ‘maggot’), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌸𐌰; Old Norse had the diminutive form maðkr (dialectal English mawk; compare also maddock). The Indo-European root is also the source of Old Armenian մաթիլ (matʿil, “small louse”).